Hua Manman fell asleep after drinking her dicine.
Li Ji left the bedchamber in his wheelchair.
Si Yun gently closed the door.
Li Ji instructed her, "Take good care of Lady Hua. Co find if anything happens."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Li Ji then took his n to Lady Li’s residence.
Lady Li had just returned from seeing the Empress.
The Empress had given her a severe lecture over Lady Hua’s injury.
Lady Li was deeply indignant.
’Lady Hua was the one who got hurt, so what does that have to do with ? Why should I be blad for it?’
Lady Li hadn’t dared to act out in front of the Empress. But as soon as she returned to her quarters, she violently smashed a set of teacups.
The exquisite teacups shattered into tiny pieces.
The palace maids serving inside all dropped to their knees, too terrified to even breathe.
Just then, a little eunuch ran in, flustered.
"Your Ladyship, Prince Zhao is here!"
The mont Lady Li heard the na "Prince Zhao," her expression changed instantly.
Even secluded deep within the inner palace, she had heard of Prince Zhao’s deeds. She knew he was treacherous and cruel—an Evil God who should never be provoked.
For Prince Zhao to show up at her door so suddenly, it was almost certainly about Lady Hua.
Lady Li said in a panic.
"Quick, stop him! Don’t let him in!
Tell him I’m unwell and not receiving visitors. Tell him to co back another day."
However, no sooner had the words left her mouth than Prince Zhao appeared at the doorway in his wheelchair.
Behind him followed a dozen tall and imposing Royal Guards.
Li Ji didn’t enter. He stopped his wheelchair just outside the door, his gloomy gaze sweeping over everyone before finally landing on Lady Li.
His stare made her scalp tingle, and her heart couldn’t help but beat a little faster.
She forced herself to remain calm. "How dare you co here without my permission? Even as Prince Zhao, you can’t be so disrespectful of the rules."
Li Ji retorted coolly.
"Lady Li, you caused my lady to be gravely injured. Pray tell, what kind of rule is that?"
Lady Li tried her best to defend herself.
"Lady Hua slipped on her own! It has nothing to do with . Don’t try to pin everything on . I’m not so scapegoat!"
But Li Ji clearly heard her thoughts at that mont—
’I was just trying to push Hua Jieyu. Who asked Hua Manman to jump out of nowhere? It’s her own fault for being a busybody. If she gets hurt, she has no one to bla but herself!’
Li Ji couldn’t be bothered to argue with this foolish woman. He directly commanded the trusted aides behind him.
"Bring it."
Two trusted aides stepped forward and threw a large bundle of thorny branches they were holding onto the ground.
Seeing this, Lady Li had a very bad feeling.
She asked, feigning courage, "What are you doing?"
Li Ji raised his right hand and pointed a finger vaguely in her direction. "Make her kneel."
Before Lady Li could react, two Royal Guards grabbed her from either side.
They forced her to her knees.
Lady Li tried to resist, but she was no match for the guards’ strength.
She was forced to kneel on the thorny branches.
The sharp thorns on the branches pierced through her dress, digging into her calves and knees, making Lady Li scream in pain.
The palace maids and eunuchs present were all aghast at the sight.
They didn’t dare step forward to stop him and could only kneel and kowtow repeatedly, begging Prince Zhao to be rciful and release Lady Li.
Li Ji didn’t spare the palace maids and eunuchs a single glance.
He just stared coldly at Lady Li, his gaze so frigid and sinister it was terrifying.
Lady Li had never endured such tornt. Tears stread down her face as she shrieked her heart out.
Yuqing Palace was neither small nor particularly large.
News of what was happening to Lady Li quickly reached the ears of the Emperor and Empress.
By the ti they rushed to the scene, Lady Li had cried herself hoarse. The pain in her legs was so intense she had almost lost all feeling, and her skirt was stained with blood. The sight was shocking.
The Emperor rebuked them sharply.
"What is the aning of this?!"
Everyone present hastily knelt to pay their respects. The trusted aides released Lady Li, who imdiately slumped to the ground.
She struggled to raise a hand and cried out to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, save ..."
The Empress ordered people to help Lady Li up and send for an Imperial Physician.
Li Ji remained seated in his wheelchair, his expression calm, showing not the slightest hint of panic.
"Your humble servant greets the Emperor and Empress."
The Emperor’s brows were tightly furrowed. He stared at Li Ji, his dark eyes and deep voice filled with displeasure.
"Lady Li is my concubine. Even if you are displeased with her, you shouldn’t have punished her so publicly. Where does this leave my dignity?"
Li Ji showed no intention of defending himself.
He said calmly, "I acted rashly. I deserve death. Please punish , Your Majesty."
Seeing him like this, the anger on the Emperor’s face dissipated, replaced by a deep sense of helplessness.
"There were clearly better ways to resolve this. Why did you have to choose the worst one?
If word gets out that you took it upon yourself to punish an imperial concubine, the officials will certainly not let you off.
Why must you bring this upon yourself?"
Li Ji gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"The morials from officials impeaching are already piled as high as a mountain. What difference will one more or less make?
Besides, I’m already a cripple. How much worse can things get?
The worst that can happen is death."
The Emperor couldn’t stand seeing him so dejected and said in a heavy voice.
"Don’t talk about death so casually. You’re still young; you have a long life ahead of you.
Even if you can never stand again, you are still Prince Zhao of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No one would dare look down on you!"
Li Ji’s lips moved as if he wanted to say sothing.
But in the end, he said nothing at all.
After that, no matter what the Emperor said, Li Ji remained silent.
In the end, to give Lady Li an explanation and to quell public gossip, the Emperor fined Li Ji one year’s salary and ordered him to reflect on his actions in seclusion for one month.
Lady Li had been tortured half to death and would likely suffer from lasting leg problems, yet Prince Zhao, the perpetrator, received only such a trivial punishnt.
This incident once again made everyone clearly realize just how much the Emperor favored Prince Zhao.
...
Hua Manman had been sleeping soundly when she was woken up by Si Yun.
The mont she opened her eyes, she saw Si Yun’s anxious face and couldn’t help but ask.
"Why do you look like that? Did sothing happen?"
Si Yun said urgently, "I just heard that Prince Zhao took his n and beat Lady Li! The matter even alard the Emperor and Empress."
Hua Manman was stunned.
She knew Prince Zhao always acted as he pleased, but she never expected him to dare strike even the Emperor’s favorite concubine.
Hua Manman understood that Prince Zhao did this to stand up for her. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t touched.
She propped herself up with both hands on the bed and struggled to sit up.
"Help get dressed. I want to go see Lady Li."
Si Yun quickly tried to dissuade her. "Be careful of your wound! Don’t move. The Imperial Physician said you should lie on your stomach for the next two days to avoid tearing your stitches."
Hua Manman: "It’s fine. I know my limits."
...
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